All About Plastic Surgeon’s Salary

Surgeons are among the highest paid individuals. However, to be successful in this career field, one has to sacrifice lots of time as well as money. Due to the high demand for plastic surgery, the field is becoming lucrative with each passing day. But for one to finally make it there, a strong educational background as well as determination is required.

All doctors begin their career with a four year undergraduate degree, followed by another four more years of osteopathic or medical college. After graduation, those willing to be plastic surgeons have to spend another six years in surgical residency. It can be subdivided into three years of residency in general surgery first, to be followed by another three separate years in plastic surgery.

Alternatively, there is a program that combines both the two. During the period for residency, students do not pay for tuition and are instead paid for the time they spend there. Those who perform successful surgeries as witnessed in Kourtney Kardashian, have an upper hand in the profession.

In 2013, the American Association’s database showed salaries of between $50,000 and $60,000. One medical recruiting firm that matches newly trained doctors with potential employers also had its research. When the firm conducted a survey in 2011/2012, it found out that the median salary for plastic surgeons in a year was $273,000. Of course this is lower than the figure for orthopedic surgeons or neurosurgeons, but higher than that for other medical specialties. Doctors who have been in practice for more than six years earn an average salary of $382,000 per year.

There have been a variety of other sources tracking plastic surgeon salary that provide more insight into plastic surgery earning potential. The American Medical Group Association’s 2012 salary survey places the earnings for plastic surgeons at $409,772 per year. In another finding, the Medical Group Management Association reported that an average earning for a plastic surgeon stood at $433,410. The lowest paid surgeon was reported to be earning around $360,000, while the highest earned $450,000 per year.

The earning potential of a surgeon during the first year of practice is shaped by the workplace. The salaries and benefits are not the same among the employers. Some people’s pay is determined by the geographical areas. Some surgeons in certain states get better pay as a result of better premiums that come as a result of the high cost of living, or because the place does not easily attract surgeons.

Personal decisions about clients and area of specialization can affect one’s earnings. Take the example of a surgeon who does constructive surgery in a regular hospital and one performing skin grafts, they cannot earn as much as a surgeon who specializes in cosmetic surgery. Yet still, some surgeons find job satisfaction in their low paying jobs. Whatever the case, surgeons earn quite a good salary as compared to people in most jobs.

Getting to practice medicine however, needs lots of dedication as it is time consuming, not to mention the risks involved in this practice. There have been cases of disastrous plastic surgeries that can water down a surgeon’s reputation. But then, it is not all rosy at all times, especially if the case turns out to be like Rose McGowan’s.